After religiously following a non-vegetarian diet, just to take a break, I opted to explore the world of vegetarian food. Compared to their counterpart, there are fewer options in Delhi for vegetarians. One of the popular ones is Shraman at The Ashok, which has recently launched its new menu.
Entering Shraman gives a nice ethnic feel; the décor is simple yet traditional, the wooden chairs have art work on them and walls are done in peacock shades. Its menu consists of Rajasthani food, offering major preparations from the Marwari and Jain cuisine.
Even the mocktails at Shraman were quite exciting. I started with a kala khatta, one of my favourite flavours at roadside chuski counters. Served in a martini glass, my drink was chilled and refreshing. To complement my tangy drink, Jodhpuri mirch ka pakoda appeared to be a nice option. Stuffed with a soft potato mix, pakoda was quite interesting to eat. But it missed on spice levels as well as the subtle tanginess which is not missing in its roadside tea stalls avatars in Jaipur.
Raj kachori another famous preparation was served cold as it should be done but was overstuffed with lentils which made it dry and heavy. Saundhi paneer tikka out of the Jain section was delicious and tasty. Spiced with Kashmiri spices the paneer was succulent and flavourful. Even the special paan patta chat was crisp and yummy. Dahi gujiya with saunth before the spicy main course was a refreshing preparation.
Through with starters, it was time for the litmus test of the chef. Dal baati choorma, which is one of the staple dishes of Rajasthani cuisine is famous across the globe. Served dipped in light golden desi ghee with dal panchratni and a bowl of choorma to top it was a delight for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Sangri ki subzi with special churi parantha complemented each other really well. Even gatta curry was worth a try and had perfect spiciness.
Two disappointments were corn bharta and khichdi .Khichdi seemed to be a mix of steamed rice and yellow dal. The aroma of ghee was also missing from it. But everything settled when chef served me ghewar malai mishri. It was just amazing and a delight to bite. It made my experience at Shraman worth remembering.
Meal for two:Rs. 1500
